1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera and a photo data input system which facilitates inputting photo data in a data storage device attached to the camera.
2. Background Arts
A new type of photo film cartridge, called IX 240, contains a filmstrip with a transparent magnetic recording layer to record data thereon. In addition, the IX 240 film cartridge can contain the entire filmstrip and advance the leader of the filmstrip out of the cartridge shell by rotating the spool in an unwinding direction. Therefore, the filmstrip can be repeatedly withdrawn from and rewound into the cartridge shell, which allows a magnetic head to write or read the photo data on the magnetic recording layer while the filmstrip is being advanced or rewound.
To make the best use of the IX 240 film cartridge, cameras for the IX 240 type often have a data recording device with a magnetic head for automatically recording photo condition data, such as exposure value data, subject distance data, and illumination light source data, on the magnetic recording layer in association with each image frame. The photo condition data is utilized for controlling printing conditions to obtain the best quality of print. Some of the IX 240 cameras can record print format data or clopping data for designating a print format to each image frame. It is also known in the art to record literal information about the scene or subject, such as a title or a memo, as digital data on a data storage device, such as an IC memory.
Conventionally, several words and phrases, e.g. xe2x80x9cHappy Birthday!xe2x80x9d, are registered in a memory of the camera as options the photographer can record as literal information about the scene. Because of the memory capacity, it is hard to register a wide variety of options enough for the variety of actual scenes. Moreover, it takes a certain time prior to photographing a scene to make a selection among the registered words. For wider variety, it is possible to manually enter words for each scene by operating character keys or the like of the camera. But this solution is still more time consuming.
In view of the foregoing, a prime object of the present invention is to provide a camera and a photo data input system for the camera which faciliates recording photo data, especially information about scenes, in association with each frame photographed by the camera.
To achieve the above and other objects, a camera of the present invention is comprised of a receiver for receiving photo data sent from a remote data sender installed in a designated place; and a memory for storing the photo data in association with an image photographed at the designated place.
A photo data input system of the present invention is comprised of a data sender which is installed in a designated place, such as a place where photographs are often taken, and a camera which is provided with a receiver for receiving photo data sent from the data sender, a memory for storing the photo data in association with an image photographed at the designated place.
The photo data from the data sender includes scene data, the scene data contains literal or audio information about the scene or subject to be photographed at the place the data sender is installed. The photo data written in the memory is preferably recorded on a data storage device which is readable by an external device, such as a printer. When the present invention is applied to an IX 240 type camera, the photo data is recorded on the magnetic recording layer of the filmstrip in association with each frame.
According to another preferred embodiment, a photo data input system is comprised of a data sender installed in a designated place for sending out place ID data for identifying the designated place; a receiver for receiving the place ID data from the data sender; a memory previously storing photo data relating to predetermined different places; and a data read-write device for selecting one of the previously stored photo data in accordance with the place ID data and recording the selected photo data on a data storage device in association with an image photographed by a camera at the designated place. The memory and the data read-write device may be incorporated into the camera, or may be connectable to the camera.
According to another preferred embodiment, a photo data input system is comprised of a data sender installed in a designated place for sending out place ID data for identifying the designated place; a camera provided with a receiver for receiving the place ID data from the data sender, and a data recording device for recording the place ID data in a first memory in association with an image photographed by the camera at the designated place; a second memory previously storing various photo data relating to predetermined different places; and a data read-write device connected to the second memory and connectable to the first memory for reading the place ID data from the first memory to select one of the previously stored photo data from the second memory in accordance with the place ID data, the data read-write device recording the selected photo data on a data storage device in association with the image photographed at the designated place.
In this way, scene data specific to each scene is recorded in association with each photographic image without the need for manual operation to enter the photo data in the camera.